By Torch columnist, Sean Radican

RADICAN’S “G1 CLIMAX 25: NIGHT 6” BLOG
JULY 28, 2015
OITA, JAPAN
AIRED LIVE ON NJPWWORLD.COM

I’m not watching the tag matches on the undercard this year, but I will include the results. If anything noteworthy happens in a particular tag match, I will watch it.

Update: This show has multiple cameras, but no commentary. Also, Nakamura is off this show with an injury, so Michael Elgin gets 2 points. Elgin also will compete in an undercard tag match.

UNDERCARD RESULTS

(1) Jushin Liger & Tiger Mask IV & Captain New Japan beat Ryusuke Taguchi & Jay White & David Finlay, Jr. in a six-man tag match.

(2) YOSHI-HASHI & Toru Yano beat Bullet Club (Cody Hall & Doc Gallows).

(3) Mascara Dorada & Togi Makabe & Kota Ibushi beat Tenzan & Shibata & Yohei Komatsu in a six-man tag match.

(4) Naito & Tanahashi & Elgin beat Bullet Club (A.J. Styles & Bad Luck Fale & Tama Tonga) in a six-man tag match. Elgin's spot was originally for Captain New Japan.


G1 CLIMAX 25: NIGHT 6 B BLOCK RESULTS & ANALYSIS

(5) Yujiro Takahashi (0) vs. Yuji Nagata (2) in a G1 Climax 25 B Block match. They came to a stalemate during the early going after both men missed kicks. Nagata then obliterated Takahashi with a series of big kicks to the chest. Takahashi distracted the ref, which allowed Hall to attack Nagata on the outside. The ref caught Hall and told him to back off. Takahashi then began working over Nagata inside the ring with stomps. Nagata began to fire up and no-sold a series of punches until Takahashi targeted his mid-section again. Nagata finally fired back with a knee to the gut. Nagata went on the attack and began working Takahashi over. They had a somewhat sloppy back and forth exchange until Nagata hit a suplex on Takahashi for a 2 count. Nagata ducked a punch in the corner a short time later and nailed Takahashi with an exploder into the turnbuckles. Takahashi ended up grabbing the ref and shoving him when Nagata went for a suplex. Takahashi then hit a low blow and rolled Nagata up for a near fall. He followed up with a running clothesline for another near fall. Takahashi hit a dropkick to the gut a short time later followed by the Miami shine DVD for the win.

Winner: Yujiro Takahashi (2 pts.) – This was a disappointing start to tournament action on this show. It was slow and boring with Takahashi controlling the match most of the way before cheating to get the win.

(6) IWGP IC Champion Hirooki Goto (2) vs. Tomoaki Honma (0) in a G1 Climax 25 B Block match. Honma got the fans behind him before they went at it after the opening bell. Honma took Goto down with a forearm during the early going much to the delight of the crowd. Goto fired back and began working Honma over. Honma fired up and began trading blows with Goto. They went back and forth trading forearms at a rapid pace before slowing. The pace picked up against and both men exchanged forearms at a rapid pace. Honma eventually went for a suplex, but Goto blocked it. Honma nearly dead-lifted Goto into a suplex position. He dropped down, but then muscled Goto up and hit the suplex and both men were down! Wow! Honma went for a running kokeshi off the ropes and hit it and smiled for the crowd. He nailed Goto with several kicks to the head before applying a single leg crab. Goto struggled, but managed to get to the ropes. They went back and forth and Honma eventually hit a leaping kokeshi to Goto’s chest and then a running kokeshi to his back. He then hit a sliding neck breaker on the mat for a 2 count. Honma hit a slam and went up top. The fans fired up as Honma played to the crowd. He went for a top rope kokeshi, but Goto managed to roll out of the way at the last second. Honma ate a huge clothesline and kicked out at one. A short time later he walked right into a neck breaker over Goto’s knee for a near fall. Honma then blocked the shouten kai and rolled up Goto for a near fall. Goto hit a huge clothesline and Honma wouldn’t go down. Honma told him to bring it and they began exchanging headbutts. Goto then hit a huge clothesline for a near fall and the fans exploded. Goto then lifted Honma and hit the shouten kai for the win. Wow!

Goto left the ring and the fans chanted for Honma, who eventually rolled to the floor and left.

Winner: Hirooki Goto (4 pts.)

Star rating: (***3/4) – What a match. Honma had to work harder than in other markets to get the fans behind him, but he really got the fans into the match late with some fighting spirit spots while no-selling Goto’s clotheslines and kicking out of big moves at one. Honma continues to hit the kokeshi at a much higher rate in G1, but is still getting the same results as last year.

(7) Tomohiro Ishii (4) vs. IWGP Hvt. Tag Team Champion Karl Anderson (4) in a G1 Climax 25 B Block match. Both men went for their finishers several times during a fast exchange early, but neither of them was successful and they came to a stalemate. They eventually battled onto the apron and began exchanging blows. Anderson finally ended the exchange with a bicycle kick that sent Ishii flying to the floor. They had an exchange near the apron once again and Anderson ended it with another running kick that sent Ishii off the apron and into the guardrail. Anderson worked over Ishii for a long period of time and began taunting him. Ishii tried to fire up and Anderson eventually missed a running kick. They went back and forth until Ishii caught Anderson with a powerslam off the ropes. Ishii went to work on Anderson with a series of big chops in the corner before hitting a suplex. Anderson then caught him with a dropkick to the knee when he came off the ropes a short time later. Anderson followed up with a neck breaker over his knee and Ishii began favoring his shoulder. Anderson followed up with a running neck breaker and made the cover for a 2 count. Anderson went up top and hit a neck breaker and made the cover again, but once again Ishii kicked out. Ishii mounted a comeback and no-sold a bicycle kick, but Anderson decked him with a second running kick to the head as he came off the ropes.

Ishii teased firing up and going after Anderson, but fell and sold his shoulder. Ishii got up and Anderson nailed him with forearm after forearm, but Ishii just kept walking towards him before decking him with a big forearm. Ishii and Anderson ended up going up top and Ishii struggled with Anderson before leveraging him up for a superplex. Ishii made the cover, but only got a 2 count. They went back and forth and Anderson eventually hit a Liger bomb for a near fall. Anderson hit a big TKO a short time later, but Ishii kicked out at 2. Ishii blocked a stunner attempt and hit a running clothesline to the back of Anderson’s head for a 2 count. They had a big exchange and Anderson hit a headbutt and hurt himself. They continued to exchange until Ishii nailed Anderson with a big headbutt. Ishii then hit a sliding clothesline for a near fall. Ishii then hit a brainbuster that was good for the win.

Winner: Tomohiro Ishii (6 pts.)

Star rating: (***1/2) – This was a really good physical match with Ishii taking a beating with Anderson targeting his neck and injured shoulder. Ishii mounted some great fiery comebacks before finishing Anderson off in the end.

(8) IWGP Hvt. Champion Kazuchika Okada (4) for Satoshi Kojima (2) in a G1 Climax 25 Block B match. Kojima sent Okada to the floor during the early going with a shoulder tackle. Okada ended up whipping him into the guardrail, but Kojima popped right off of it and nailed Okada with another shoulder tackle. Kojima took control on the floor before working on Okada back inside the ring. Okada suddenly set up Kojima on the top turnbuckle and dropkicked him to the floor a short time later. Okada took control of the match and went to work on Kojima back inside the ring. Kojima eventually blocked a kick and sent Okada to the mat with a big forearm. Kojima fired up and nailed Okada with machinegun chops in the corner, but Okada fired right back and took control of the action once again. Both men eventually went to a big exchange of forearms in the middle of the ring. Kojima got the upper hand and hit a big chop in the corner. He followed up with a running clothesline and signaled he was going up top. He took a long time to go up top and the fans fired up as he managed to drop his signature elbow for a 2 count. Kojima placed Okada on the turnbuckles a short time later and brought him to the mat with a big ace crusher.

The fans fired up as Kojima signaled for the finish. Gedo screamed in dismay on the outside. Kojima set Okada up for a lariat, but he collapsed in pain before Kojima could hit him. Okada suddenly caught Kojima in the corner and nailed him with a neck breaker over his knee and both men were down on the mat. Okada went up top and dropped an elbow before signaling for the rainmaker. Kojima blocked it and Okada eventually hit a DVD for a 2 count. Okada went for a tombstone, but Kojima managed to slip out of it. Kojima fired back a short time later and nailed him with a huge running lariat that left both men down on the mat. Kojima set up for another lariat, but Okada caught him with a huge dropkick. He followed up with a tombstone and signaled for the end. Kojima ducked one rain maker, but Okada nailed him on the second try for the win.

Okada and Gedo then closed the show with their usual promo.

Winner: Kazuchika Okada (6 pts.)

Star rating: (***1/4) – This was a very good main event. It was a bit methodical at times, but they did decent job of pacing the match before going to a hot finishing sequence.


Quick G1 Climax 25: Night 6 Viewing Guide

What to watch: Goto-Honma, Ishii-Anderson, Okada-Kojima

What you can skip: Nagata-Takahashi

Best G1 match on the card: Goto-Honma (***3/4)

Overall thoughts: The final three matches were good, but nothing out of the B Block matches stood out as must-see. If you’re really crunched for time, I would suggest only watching Honma-Goto. The other matches aren’t worth going out of your way to see.

The Honma story has been fun to watch and this time around, it has a new twist. Even though Honma is losing his G1 matches this year, he’s connecting on a much higher percentage of kokeshi’s than last year. His match against Goto was a blast. It didn’t quite reach the four star level, but it’s well-worth a look if you want to keep following the Honma story.

CURRENT G1 CLIMAX 25 STANDINGS

A Block

- Tanahashi (4 pts.)
- A.J. Styles (4 pts.)
- 2013 winner Naito (4 pts.)
- Shibata (4 pts.)
- Kota Ibushi (4 pts.)
- Bad Luck Fale (4 pts.)
- NEVER champion Togi Makabe (2 pts.)
- NWA World champion Tenzan (2 pts.)
- Toru Yano (2 pts.)
- IWGP tag champion Doc Gallows

B Block

- 2014 winner IWGP World Champ Okada (6 pts.)
- Tomohiro Ishii (6 pts.)
- IWGP tag champion Karl Anderson (4 pts.)
- IWGP IC Champ Hirooki Goto (4 pts.)
- Shinsuke Nakamura (2 pts.)
- Satoshi Kojima (2 pts.)
- Yuji Nagata (2 pts.)
- Yujiro Takahashi (2 pts.)
- ROH's Michael Elgin (2 pts.)
- Honma

***

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